<p>I agree with him. Certainly choose a couple reach schools you love to apply to. Many of those top tier schools have great need-based aid but their merit (if any) can be super hard to get. My kid didn’t apply to the schools you mentioned. We didn’t see 1/2 tuition merit from the two similarly qualified candidates we know from this year. I don’t know what schools are good for biochemistry so I don’t have much to offer in that regard but you should apply to a school or two where your stats are above the 75th percentile. That is the best opportunity for merit. </p>